The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
Consumers continue to experience an increasingly blurred distinction between real-world and on-line interactions. Consumers can now virtually interact with real-world objects through their smart phones. For example, consumers can capture an image of a movie poster via their cell phones. In response, the cell phone can construct an augmented reality interaction or game overlaid on the display of the cell phone. In fact, the Applicant has pioneered such technologies through their iD® technologies as implemented by DreamPlay™ (see URL www.polygon.com/2013/1/9/3851974/disney-dreamplay-ar-app-disney-infinity). Other technologies that attempt to offer similar experiences include the following:                Layar® (see URL www.layar.com),        Qualcomm Vuforia™ (see URL www.qualcomm.com/solutions/augmented-reality)        BlippAR.com™ (see URL www.blippar.com), and        13th Lab (see URL www.13thlab.com).        
Unfortunately, such technologies are limited in scope and typically are only capable of recognizing a single type object at a time (e.g., a single toy, a single person, a single graphic image, single type of marker, etc.). Thus, a consumer must position their cell phone into a more ideal position or orientation with respect to the object of interest, then wait for their cell phone to analyze the image information before engaging content is retrieved. Ideally a consumer's digital device (e.g., cell phone, vehicle, tablet, etc.) should be able to engage with content associated with an object of interest very quickly and should be able to virtually engage with many objects at the same time. The above referenced companies fail to provide such features.
All publications herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.
Thus, there is still a need for methods of quickly recognizing multiple objects quickly.
In some embodiments, the numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, properties such as concentration, reaction conditions, and so forth, used to describe and claim certain embodiments of the invention are to be understood as being modified in some instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters set forth in the written description and attached claims are approximations that can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by a particular embodiment. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of some embodiments of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as practicable. The numerical values presented in some embodiments of the invention may contain certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” includes plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The recitation of ranges of values herein is merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range. Unless otherwise indicated herein, each individual value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g. “such as”) provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.
Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all Markush groups used in the appended claims.